1981 - 12,000 Watch Merryfield Win at Des Moines

 

Joe Merryfield is surrounded by a bevy of beauties after winning the late model season opener at the Iowa State Fair Speedway. Promoter Lefty Robinson presents the checkers. – Dean Malone Photo

Des Moines, Iowa (May 1, 1981) – Joe Merryfield of Des Moines moved from his 14th starting position to win the late model feature race Friday night at the Iowa State Fairgrounds as a whopping 12,000 race fans looked on.

The opening night special offered a $5,000 purse for the drivers and a free grandstand for the fans. The fans responded by filling the vast Iowa State Fair grandstand.

Merryfield finished ahead of Don Hoffman of Des Moines in the late model race, while Dennis Hovinga of Pocahontas wound up third and defending point champion Darrell Sells of Waverly was fourth.

Scott Sells, Darrell’s son, captured the 15-lap sportsman feature. Rocky Hodges, who was the busiest driver at the Fairgrounds on Friday, finished second and Steve Shannon of Norwalk was third.

Hodges also competed in the late model division, finishing fourth in the Australian Pursuit and 15th in the feature.

Hodges also nipped Mike Thomas of Des Moines in a special grudge match featuring a late model up against a sprint car. Hodges received a handicap lead at the start and held off Thomas in the 5-lap dash by just a whisker at the finish.

There were four leaders in the late model feature. Dave Farren of Des Moines led the first lap, Dave Bjorge of Austin, Minn., led laps 2-10, Hovinga then took over for laps 11-19 with Merryfield taking over for good on lap 20 and leading to the finish. His win earned him $750.


Results –


Late Model –

1. Joe Merryfield, Des Moines
2. Don Hoffman, Des Moines
3. Denny Hovinga, Pocahontas
4. Darrell Sells, Waverly
5. Dave Chase, Council Bluffs
6. Kenny Fenn, Washington
7. Dave Farren, Des Moines
8. Danny Wallace, Des Moines
9. Dan Nesteby, Waterloo
10.Curt Hansen, Dike
11.Billy Moyer Jr., Des Moines
12.Martin Bennett, Des Moines
13.Dave Bjorge, Austin, Minn.
14.Curt Hogue, Ames
15.Rocky Hodges, Des Moines